Polpette (Italian Meatballs)

These delicious Polpette (Italian meatballs) are simmered in a rich tomato sugo. They are a family favourite and are great for feeding a crowd. The kids will love them too.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: meatballs, Polpette, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Sugo

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1

Servings: People

Calories: 445kcal

Equipment

1 Dutch oven or heavy based pot with lid
1 Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

Polpette (Meatballs)

500 g Pork mince
500 g Veal mince
¼ cup Bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
⅓ tsp Nutmeg
½ cup Parsley (finely chopped)
1 tsp Fine salt
1 tsp Cracked black pepper
2 Eggs (lightly whisked)
½ cup Flour (for dusting)
2 tbsp Olive oil (for frying)

Sugo (Tomato Sauce)

1 tbs Olive oil
1 Onion (brown or white)
2 Garlic cloves (finely chopped)
700 g Tomato passata
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp black pepper
8 leaves of fresh basil

Instructions

For the Polpette (Meatballs )

Place pork and veal mince, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, parsley, salt, pepper and eggs into a large mixing bowl.
Using your hands, thoroughly mix all ingredients together until well incorporated.
Now your mixture is ready for rolling out the polpette.
Get two plates ready (1 for the flour and 1 for the polpette once it has been dusted).
With clean hands place a golf ball size amount of mixture on your palm and then gently roll mixture between both hands until you have a nice smooth ball.
Place ball on the first plate with the flour and roll around until lightly covered (shake off any excess flour) then place on the clean second plate.
Repeat until all mixture is used and you have a plate full of floured polpette ready for frying (this mixture makes about 36 meatballs).
Heat oil in your Dutch oven, pot or pan over medium/ high heat
Fry polpette until golden brown all over and remove to a clean plate lined with kitchen towel or a wire rack to drain off excess oil. You will need to fry the polpette in two or three batches depending on the size of your pan/ pot (don't try to do them all at once as overcrowding your polpette will result in them stewing rather than frying which will effect the texture).
Once all your poplette are fried you can start on your sugo/ tomato sauce.

Sugo

In the same pot/ pan add a olive oil
Turn the stove down to medium/ low and fry off your onions stirring occasionally so they don't catch on the bottom of the pan. Its important that onions are cooked through to a light brown colour (but not burnt) this will probably take about 10 minutes. Don't rush this step as under cooked onions = less depth of flavour in your sugo.
When onions are light brown in colour you can add your garlic and fry for two more minutes stirring frequently.
Pour in your tomato passata then add sugar, salt, pepper and basil.
Stir the sugo, bring to a simmer then pop on your lid and leave to simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes remove the lid of your pot give the sugo a stir and place all of the polpette in the pot with your sugo.
Stir polpette so they are all covered and with sauce and half submerged then replace the lid and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 40 minutes, turn off the heat, stir the polpette around then leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Nutrition